Actions

Hurricane watch issued for parts of Florida

The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for parts of the Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday as Tropical Depression Nine is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm within the next day.

As of the 5 p.m. Eastern advisory on Tuesday, the tropical depression was 345 miles west of Key West, Florida. The depression was moving northwest at 5 MPHr at the time of the advisory. The system is expected to turn to the northeast, making landfall by Thursday night.

Areas north of Tampa, from the Anclote River to Indian Pass, are under a hurricane watch.

The storm's top winds of 35 MPH are expected to increase by Wednesday.